Tire pressure monitors have been developed to monitor the inflated tire pressure of a wheel, in order to insure sufficient pressure for proper vehicular operation. Prior to their implementation, operators relied solely upon observations and experience to determine a potential low-pressure tire. Once an observation was made, a tire pressure gauge was then utilized to measure the actual pressure of the tire. Today, observation is still utilized, where a TPM is not present. All of these methods are utilized to help decrease the likelihood of mishaps caused by low-pressure tires. For example, operating a vehicle having a low pressure tire may result in unequal wear amongst the tire treads, the misalignment of the steering system, a low riding tire that compromises the structural integrity of the tire.
TPMs are effective in preventing these concerns by constantly monitoring the tire pressure, and alerting the operator when the pressure falls outside of a predetermined limit (e.g., 168 to 272 kPa). By doing so, TPMs ensure that proper tire inflation is provided, thereby increasing operator confidence, improving the driving experience, and increasing the life of the tire. Conventional methods of implementing TPMs in the manufacturing process, however, have increased the cost of manufacture. A more conventional type of push-in TPM has been developed to help reduce this cost by replacing a fastener, such as a retaining nut, and the need for a drive mechanism to secure the nut, with a compressible valve stem configured to be lodged into a stem opening defined by the wheel.
Push-in style TPMs, however, also present installation concerns. The intricate tasks of securing the wheel and TPM, wherein the TPM typically includes a circuitry housing connected to the stem, and driving the stem into the opening increase the complexity and cost of automation, making manual installation necessary. The manual installation of a push-in style TPM requires the application of a large force to the housing, and the sensitive circuitry housed therein, in order to drive the stem. The force must be such that a portion of the stem larger than the opening becomes compressed and lodged against the wheel, so as to retainably fix the TPM to the wheel. Because the housing is not configured to sustain such a force, it is appreciated by those in the art that many TPMs become damaged, or destroyed during this process.